Morning journal and courier., 1887-11-16
HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI

Listen to Edmund K1rke's lecture
Last EvenIng-A Highly Pleased An.
dieRce.
The second annual lecture course given by
the Hillhouse High School Alumni associa-
ton was inaugurated at the High school hall
last evening when Mr.. James R. Gilmore,
popularity known as Edmund Kirke and who
has been rendered famous by his chief work
E'Among the Pines," delivered very inter-
esting lecture on "Life in Western North
Carolina" About one hundred and fifty
persons composed an audience noticeable for
its rapt attention, its evident culture and
marked responsibility. It is not, however,
to the credit of the graduates of this institu-
ton that more members of the association
were not present. The audience was made
up largely of teachers, citizens, professors
and scholars. In it were noticed Prof. Rob-
inson, Mr.. johnson T. Plat, Mr.. T. w. T.
Curtis, Prof. Beebe, DIR. Carmalt, Mr.. J. w.
Pond, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Dow,
Principal Fifeld and Attorney Charles L.
Ullman. The speaker was introduced by
Attorney Harry w. Asher, president of the
association, and Councilman Moran, the Sec
rotary, was also seated upon the platform.
The lecture was given up to the speakers
experiences while living near Asheville, NC,
ana dealt largely WIN Gn0 SOCIAL pOSlG1OA
and prospects of the blacks and poor whites
of that vicinity. Many descriptions of char
acter and anecdotes of the advantages
and daily life of the characters
prominent in that section shed
rays of humor and light upon
the discourse. In opening the speaker de-
scribed their country seat near Asheville,
where they thought at first they had found
an Arcadia. The scenery seemed to furnish
all the attractions for a country home-a
grand, spacious country house, SURPRISING in
many respects many a city residence, sur
rounded by large groups of pines. Between
the house and the highway was shady ra-
vine through which a rivulet trickled. It
seemed delightful retreat from the heat of
midsummer. But Satan entered into Para
disc and according to the negro legends there
followed him a train of gnats and mosqui-
toes. Slavery was expelled, but swarm of
human gnats were left. The petty Pecula-
Southern blacks practice on the
principle of division of labor.
The speaker described two of his
servants and told their history,
long and varied through years of slavery. He
dwelt at length on the characteristics and
habits of his negro servants and told many
anecdotes illustrating negro philosophy and
social life. Marriage, rite to be encouraged
on grounds of sound political economy, was
great annoyance, for servant after servant
entered the blessed bonds and departed to
seek a prosperous living elsewhere. The
blacks were a daily nuisance, but the poor
whites drove us distracted. We found here
and there a specimen that showed that the
| race might be raised to a position where it
would become good and useful fragment of
our great republic. If one poor white has
| risen to eminence, it follows that given the
elements of good society the whole class will
| rise to far better level than that which it
| now occupies. In closing the speaker re-
| lated eeveral anecdotes about noted engi-
| neer of that country whose exaggerated lying
| tales had rendered him famous and of cir
Gus rider who was preacher and from one OF
/ whose meetings he came away width high
| opinions about the possibilities of the poor
| whites. The next lecture in the course will
be delivered Friday evening, December 10th
| when Mr.. Morris F. Tyler will deliver an il.
| Illustrated lecture on the worlds temples.